This summer, after visiting the amazing Angkor Wat in Cambodia, I spent nearly three weeks on the bike and got as far out as Nong Khai, a loop around Phu Kradeung and then up to Chiang Rai.

After picking up the bike, a short hop round the Sameong Loop gives it a workout to make sure everything is attached and straight.{}

After that, it's off. This is the first day and CM locals should be able to figure from the photo and Chiang Mai tracks which hotel was my base.

The Hotel{}

The Chiang Mai outward and inbound tracks {}

Phitsanoluk has a large airfield with what looks like a T6 (Harvard) trainer as the gate guardian.{}

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If when zoomed the GPS tracks look a bit angular and displaced it's because I've set the Lat/Long sampling mode to be distance triggered at 100m. This is the highest resolution for this mode but ideally, it would better if it were 45m or so.

Somewhere along the way I passed this wonderful sight...{}

and took this photo.{}

Nong Khai was my turning point for home and I love the drive along Rte 211 beside the epic Mekong.{}

On the way to the hotel, I passed by this place. The owner was from Aberdeen and I think he misses home a bit.{}

Leaving Nong Khai, I stopped for photo of the famous bridge.{}

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While staying a couple of days in Leoi, I finally got around to driving around Phu Kradeung.{}

After that I headed from back to Chiang Mai, caught my breath for a few days and then it was off up to Chiang Rai.{}

I use a Garmin eTrex Venture. It's nice and robust, waterproof and I set up the display to show speed, time, distance and heading with large digits. Handy for rental bikes that often have the speedo' and odometer disconneted (although Mr Mechanic's machines are good in this respect).

It doesn't log a huge amount of data but I carry a notebook when touring. I would say, it seems to be better value for money that a TravelStick II since they cost about the same.

I originally bought the Garmin 5 years ago because it was about the cheapest GPS available at the time. Logging tracks and overlaying digital elevation maps has now become easy peasy so it might be time to upgrade to a marine grade GPS. I'm not interested in a map display since I still like peering at creased paper at the side of the road. Besides, looking at a map next to a bike always attracts friendly interest from the locals.